ONDC Sees Leadership Shake-Up: Arvind Gupta's Exit and What It Means for India's Digital Commerce Network
The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), India's ambitious government-backed initiative to democratize e-commerce, is navigating a significant period of transition following a series of high-profile executive departures. Most recently, Arvind Gupta, an independent director and a key founding member of ONDC, has stepped down from his position after completing his three-year term on June 25, 2025
Gupta's exit marks the latest in a series of notable departures from ONDC's top leadership. This includes Thampy Koshy, the network's founding Managing Director and CEO, who stepped down in April 2025 (with his final working day being June 30, 2025), leading to COO Vibhor Jain being appointed as Acting CEO. Prior to these, RS Sharma resigned as non-executive chairperson in December 2024, and Shireesh Joshi, the chief business officer, departed in March 2025. These sequential changes have understandably prompted questions about the future trajectory and stability of the platform
Understanding Arvind Gupta's Departure
Arvind Gupta, also the head and co-founder of the Digital India Foundation, played an instrumental role in shaping ONDC's foundational principles and guiding its early growth. In a statement, Gupta confirmed his decision not to continue as an independent director after fulfilling his full three-year term, emphasizing a natural rotation for board directors upon term completion. While he will not resume his formal role, Gupta remains a strong advocate for ONDC's mission to foster an open and inclusive digital commerce ecosystem across India.
ONDC's Governance and the Implications of Leadership Transitions
ONDC operates under the strategic oversight of a board of directors and an advisory council. The board comprises founding members, shareholders, government nominees, and independent directors. The departure of key figures like Gupta, Koshy, Sharma, and Joshi means ONDC loses a wealth of experience and diverse perspectives critical to its strategic decision-making.
These leadership transitions occur at a crucial juncture for ONDC. While the platform has demonstrated impressive growth, surpassing 200 million transactions since its inception in 2022 and onboarding over 760,000 sellers across 616 cities, it also faces evolving challenges.
Recent reports indicate a slight dip in transactional volumes for retail orders, from 4.34 million in April 2025 to 4.07 million in May 2025. This executive churn, coupled with operational shifts, underscores the importance of stable leadership as ONDC expands into new verticals like grocery, quick commerce, insurance, and financial services
ONDC has acknowledged the significant contributions of its departing leaders, including Gupta, praising their instrumental role in the network's establishment and early success. With Vibhor Jain now at the helm as Acting CEO, the organization aims to ensure continuity and cohesive execution during this transitional phase.
The ongoing leadership changes highlight the dynamic nature of building a public digital infrastructure of ONDC's scale. The ability of ONDC to attract new, equally experienced leadership and maintain strategic clarity will be paramount to its continued success.
As the network navigates this period, its focus remains on democratizing digital commerce, reducing entry barriers for MSMEs, and fostering an interoperable marketplace to rival dominant e-commerce platforms in India. The coming months will be critical in observing how ONDC consolidates its leadership and sustains its growth trajectory amidst these high-level shifts.
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